Federal Railroad Administration January 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On January 25, 2011, FRA published a Federal Register document stating that markings on tank cars related to certain gross weight on rail (GRL) Special Permits that had been incorporated into the hazardous materials regulations (HMR) by a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) rulemaking were required to be removed or obliterated by January 25, 2012, or at each subject tank car's first shopping event, whichever occurred first. This document relieves tank car owners from that previously stated deadline and extends the time for removal of the markings until the date of each subject tank car's next required qualification.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collections of information was published on November 17, 2011 (76 FR 71432).

FRA announced the first meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee mandated by Section 212 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA), on June 6, 2011 (See 76 FR 32391). This initial meeting was postponed until further notice (See 76 FR 34139) and is now rescheduled. The Committee is made up of stakeholders operating on the Northeast Corridor, and the purpose of the Committee is to provide annual recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it will prepare an EIS with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) to evaluate environmental and related impacts of upgrading the New Orleans Rail Gateway (NORG) and infrastructure in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes, Louisiana (proposed action). FRA is also issuing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by LA DOTD and its representatives will be considered in preparation of the EIS. FRA is issuing this Notice to alert interested parties, to provide information on the nature of the proposed action, including the purpose and need for the proposed action, possible alternatives to be considered in the preparation of the EIS, potentially significant impacts to the natural and built environment of those alternatives, and to invite public participation in the EIS process.

This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) is intended to further the safety of passenger train occupants through both enhancements and additions to FRA's existing requirements for emergency systems on passenger trains. In this NPRM, FRA is proposing to add requirements for interior vestibule doors and enhance emergency egress and rescue access signage requirements. FRA is also proposing to establish requirements for low-location emergency exit path markings to assist occupants in reaching and operating primary emergency exits, particularly under conditions of darkness or smoke. Further, FRA is proposing to add minimum emergency lighting standards for all existing passenger cars so that emergency lighting systems are provided in all passenger cars, and FRA is proposing to enhance requirements for the survivability of emergency lighting systems in new passenger cars. Finally, FRA is clarifying existing requirements for participation in debriefing and critique sessions following emergency situations and full-scale simulations.